The invention lies in the field of electronic communication. Specifically, the invention pertains to a method and a configuration which provides performance features via a communications network.
Because working conditions are becoming increasingly flexible in terms of time and location, the number of employees who do not carry out their professional tasks at their office provided by the employer is rising continuously. The publication xe2x80x9cDas virtuelle Bxc3xcroxe2x80x9d [The Virtual Office], in telcomreport, Issue 4, 1997, Siemens AG Berlin and Munich, Germany, describes that for tasks to be carried out effectively outside the company it is necessary to have access to the communications performance features provided in the company""s local communications network, irrespective of the location of the employee. These performance features include the performance features, such as, for example, the setting-up of a conference circuit, automatic call-back, signaling of the inputting of a message and voice-mail services, which are additional to the standard performance features provided in an ISDN communications network.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a method and a configuration for providing performance features in a communications system, which is improved with regard to the disadvantages and shortcomings of the prior art methods and devices of this general type and which allows performance features implemented by a communications system to be made available at an external terminal.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a method in a communications system with defined performance features available at internal subscriber terminals of the communications system wherein internal terminals of the communications network communicate within a framework of a defined signaling protocol. The method renders the performance features available at an external terminal via a communications network, and the method comprises:
providing a teleworking subscriber line module having a switching device in the communications system; establishing a data link on a user data channel (ISDN-B channel) of the communications system between an external terminal and the teleworking subscriber line module by signing on to the communications system with the external terminal; and
transferring to the external terminal, via the data link, terminal-oriented signaling information usually available within the framework of the signaling protocol between the internal terminals and the communications system.
In other words, the performance features which are implemented by a communications system are made available at an external terminal in the same way as at an internal terminal. Terminal-oriented signaling information, such as is usually transferred within the scope of a signaling protocol Cornet-Ts between the communications system and internal terminals which are connected to it, is made available between the communications system and the external terminal.
A significant advantage of the invention is that the system components which are necessary for the so-called teleworking concept which can be implemented by means of the invention can easily be integrated into an existing communications system.
A further advantage of the invention consists in the fact that the configuration of the necessary system components on a separate teleworking subscriber line module makes it possible easily to perform changes to the teleworking concept which can be implemented by means of the invention.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the step of establishing the data link between the external terminal and the teleworking subscriber line module comprises converting a data format of the user data channel to a data format of a local computer network connected to the teleworking subscriber line module.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the teleworking subscriber line module is controlled with a teleworking computer connected to a local computer network, and carrying terminal-oriented signaling information from and to the teleworking subscriber line module via the teleworking computer.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, subscriber-specific data is transferred from the external terminal via the data link, and a sign-on is authorized by the teleworking computer with reference to the subscriber-specific data.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, in the course of a sign-on operation, there is performed a step of assigning to the external terminal a first virtual subscriber connection port of the teleworking subscriber line module with the teleworking computer, and rerouting signaling information routed by a control unit of the communications system to an internal subscriber terminating line identified by the subscriber-specific data to a virtual subscriber connection port.
In accordance with again an added feature of the invention, there is decided in the teleworking subscriber line module, with reference to destination address information contained in signaling information transmitted from the teleworking computer or from the control unit to the teleworking subscriber line module, whether the signaling information received by the teleworking computer is to be transferred on to the control unit, or the signaling information received by the control unit is to be transferred on to the teleworking computer.
In accordance with again an additional feature of the invention, while establishing a data link, subsequent to the sign-on, between the external terminal and a further terminal, a first partial link is set up between the further terminal and a first virtual subscriber connection port of the teleworking subscriber line module.
In accordance with again another feature of the invention, a second partial link is set up between a second virtual subscriber connection port of the teleworking subscriber line module and the external terminal.
In accordance with again a further feature of the invention, the first and second partial links are coupled to one another in the teleworking subscriber line module, forming a link between terminals.
In accordance with yet an added feature of the invention, the signaling information is transferred when a link is established between the external terminal and the communications system in the form of terminal-oriented signaling information via the data link.
In accordance with yet an additional feature of the invention, there is provided a step of simultaneously routing a plurality of terminal links in each case between one external terminal signed on to the communications system and one further terminal via the teleworking subscriber line module.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the internal subscriber terminating line is set up merely in the form of a virtual connection port.
In accordance with yet a further feature of the invention, the external terminal is connected to the communications system via a network selected from the group consisting of an ISDN-oriented communications network, an analog communications network, and a radio communications network.
With the above and other objects in view there is also provided, in accordance with the invention, a teleworking subscriber line module in a communications system, the communications system having a control unit and a switching matrix unit with a bi-directional, time-division-multiplex-oriented port, comprising:
a LAN connection unit having a LAN interface for connecting to a local computer network;
a signaling unit having an HDLC interface for connecting to a control unit of a communications system;
a PCM connection unit having a PCM interface for connecting to a bi-directional, time-division-multiplex-oriented port of a switching matrix unit of the communications system, the PCM connection unit having a module switching-matrix unit for switching user data links routed via the PCM interface; and a conversion unit connected to the signaling unit and to the PCM connection unit for converting, in accordance with a given protocol, and forwarding data between the signaling unit and the PCM connection unit.
One advantage of refinements of the invention is that a subscriber who has signed on to the communications system at an external terminal can be accessed on the same call number as at an internal terminal assigned to him.
By assigning virtual connection portsxe2x80x94often referred to as pseudo-connection ports in the pertinent literaturexe2x80x94subscribers can utilize the performance features of the communications system at an external terminal even if they do not have a physically existing internal terminal assigned to them.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a method and configuration for providing performance features via a communications network, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.